Optical resonator with localized ion-implanted voids

Abstract

A high Q whispering gallery mode resonator with ion-implanted voids is described. A resonator device includes a resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material. The resonator disk includes a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, and a side structure between the top surface and the bottom surface. The side structure includes an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, where a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves. The whispering gallery mode resonator disk includes voids localized at a particular depth from the top surface. At least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk. The resonator device can further include a first electrode on the top surface and a second electrode on the bottom surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A resonator device, comprising:
 a whispering gallery mode resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material, the whispering gallery mode resonator disk comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface; 
 a side structure between the top surface and the bottom surface, the side structure comprises an axial surface along a perimeter of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk, wherein a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves; 
 voids localized at a particular depth from the top surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface are ion-implanted voids located within the electrooptic material at the particular depth from the top surface; and 
 voids localized at a particular depth from the bottom surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the bottom surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the particular depth from the bottom surface are ion-implanted voids located within the electrooptic material at the particular depth from the bottom surface, 
 
 a first electrode on the top surface of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk; and 
 a second electrode on the bottom surface of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk. 
 
     
     
       2. The resonator device of  claim 1 , the side structure of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk further comprises:
 a first chamfered edge between the top surface and the axial surface; and 
 a second chamfered edge between the bottom surface and the axial surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The resonator device of  claim 2 , wherein the axial surface, the first chamfered edge, and the second chamfered edge form a convex side structure of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk. 
     
     
       4. The resonator device of  claim 1 , the whispering gallery mode resonator disk further comprises:
 voids localized at a differing particular depth from the top surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the top surface are ion-implemented voids located within the electrooptic material at the differing particular depth from the top surface. 
 
     
     
       5. The resonator device of  claim 4 , the whispering gallery mode resonator disk further comprises:
 voids localized at a differing particular depth from the bottom surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the bottom surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the bottom surface are ion-implemented voids located within the electrooptic material at the differing particular depth from the bottom surface. 
 
     
     
       6. The resonator device of  claim 1 , wherein the resonator device supports a fundamental mode located in the midplane. 
     
     
       7. The resonator device of  claim 1 , wherein the particular depth from the top surface at which the voids are localized is in a range between 10 micrometers and 20 micrometers from the top surface. 
     
     
       8. A lidar sensor system, comprising:
 a laser; 
 an optical coupler that is coupled to the laser; and 
 a whispering gallery mode resonator device that is coupled to the optical coupler, the whispering gallery mode resonator device comprising a resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material, the resonator disk comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface; 
 a side structure between the top surface and the bottom surface, the side structure comprises an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, wherein a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves; 
 voids localized at a particular depth from the top surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface are ion-implanted voids located within the electrooptic material at the particular depth from the top surface; and 
 voids localized at a particular depth from the bottom surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the bottom surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the particular depth from the bottom surface are ion-implanted voids located within the electrooptic material at the particular depth from the bottom surface. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The lidar sensor system of  claim 8 , the whispering gallery mode resonator device further comprising:
 a first electrode on the top surface of the resonator disk; and 
 a second electrode on the bottom surface of the resonator disk. 
 
     
     
       10. The lidar sensor system of  claim 8 , the side structure of the resonator disk further comprises:
 a first chamfered edge between the top surface and the axial surface; and 
 a second chamfered edge between the bottom surface and the axial surface. 
 
     
     
       11. The lidar sensor system of  claim 8 , the resonator disk further comprises:
 voids localized at a differing particular depth from the top surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the top surface are ion-implanted voids located within the electrooptic material at the differing particular depth from the top surface. 
 
     
     
       12. The lidar sensor system of  claim 11 , the resonator disk further comprises:
 voids localized at a differing particular depth from the bottom surface, wherein at least one of the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the bottom surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk, and wherein the voids localized at the differing particular depth from the bottom surface are ion-implanted voids located within the electrooptic material at the differing particular depth from the bottom surface. 
 
     
     
       13. The lidar sensor system of  claim 8 , wherein the whispering gallery mode resonator device supports a fundamental mode located in the midplane. 
     
     
       14. The lidar sensor system of  claim 8 , wherein the particular depth from the top surface at which the voids are localized is in a range between 10 micrometers and 20 micrometers from the top surface. 
     
     
       15. A method of manufacturing a whispering gallery mode resonator device, comprising:
 directing an ion beam at a top surface of a wafer formed of an electrooptic material such that ions in the ion beam are implanted in the wafer and form ion-implanted voids distributed at a particular depth from the top surface of the wafer, wherein the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the top surface of the wafer are located within the electrooptic material at the particular depth from the top surface; 
 directing the ion beam at the bottom surface of the wafer such that ions in the ion beam are implanted in the wafer and form ion-implanted voids distributed at a particular depth from the bottom surface of the wafer, wherein the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the bottom surface of the wafer are located within the electrooptic material at the particular depth from the bottom surface; and 
 cutting the wafer with the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the top surface and the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the bottom surface to produce at least the whispering gallery mode resonator device. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 directing the ion beam at the top surface of the wafer such that ions in the ion beam are implanted in the wafer and form ion-implanted voids distributed at a differing depth from the top surface of the wafer, wherein the ion-implanted voids distributed at the differing depth from the top surface of the wafer are located within the electrooptic material at the differing depth from the to surface, and wherein the wafer with the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the top surface, the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the bottom surface, and the ion-implanted voids distributed at the differing depth from the top surface is cut to produce at least the whispering gallery mode resonator device. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 directing the ion beam at the bottom surface of the wafer such that ions in the ion beam are implanted in the wafer and form ion-implanted voids distributed at a differing depth from the bottom surface of the wafer, wherein the ion-implanted voids distributed at the differing depth from the bottom surface of the wafer are located within the electrooptic material at the differing depth from the bottom surface, and wherein the wafer with the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the top surface, the ion-implanted voids distributed at the particular depth from the bottom surface, the ion-implanted voids distributed at the differing depth from the top surface, and the ion-implanted voids distributed at the differing depth from the bottom surface is cut to produce at least the whispering gallery mode resonator device. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the whispering gallery mode resonator device is disk shaped. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the whispering gallery mode resonator device is ring shaped. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein implantation energy and ion current density of the ion beam are tuned to control a density of the ion-implanted voids formed at the particular depth from the top surface.